The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-03

hundred and twenty-five feet long and
forty wide. Its ribs and sheathing are of
iron, and its masts of lofty timbers.
Its great engines keep up potent and
steady strokes. Fifty tons of coal do
they devOur each day; and, therefore,
ought, in spite of wind and wave, to
push the steamer on at the rate of
some three hundred miles a day. De-
scending into its depths one is quite
sure to be surprised at the amount of
room. 1t is like going into cellar after
cellar, filled with fifteen hundred tons
of iron, cotton, mercantile and mechan-
ical goods, apples, butter, cheese, etc.
etc. 1t also has eleven thousand tons
of coal on board, enough to take it to
Hong Kong and back to San Francisco.
1t has capacity for carrying three thou
sand five hundred tons. Its average
speed is little less than three hundred
miles per day. Its cabins and rooms
are for the most part pleasant and COM
Portable. 1t is steady running vessel,
and though it has been in service for
some seven years, still it is good reli-
able ship.
1t is manned by hundred and nine
men. The captain is Norwegian by
descent, but brought up in our country.
He is compact and sturdy man, right
in his prime, of active temperament and
commanding mien. He attends to his
own business and requires those under
him to be faithful to duty. His first
mate, and in fact all his officers, are
gentlemanly in their conduct, save one
or two, who are altogether too intimate
with some foolish young women. How
cheap some value themselves and what
failure they make of life! Such SOW
to the wind and reap the whirlwind.
Taking passage on this noble ship,
it is interesting to recall the past and
think of the rude craft of the Phe-
nicians, the Vikings and the ancient
Chinese. We can but marvel as to how
Vasco de Cana crossed the Indian
ocean, or how Columbus ever reached
America in his unwieldly ship. But
perfection evidently has not been reach
ed yet in methods of conveyances. Who
knows but the air will be successfully
navigated within the next fifty years?
Would fbot bo M ora ctropna +boy M oyu
things which have been achieved the
last century, All, when one height
has been gained there is always another
still higher to be reached The sculps
tor who has completed a beautiful
statue is not satisfied, because he can
see another more beautiful in his ideal
and longs to bring it out. So it is,
there are calls always ahead bidding us
"come up higher" Perhaps, hun
dred years hence the living will refer
to our present achievements as we are
wont to speak of the stage, coach and
the panniers.
The passengers on board consist of
twenty-five cabin, and four hundred
and twenty-five steerage. In addition
we have three little boy-brothers who
are favorites on the ship. AS to sex
the cabin passengers are about equally
divided. Among them are four clergy
men, representing the old and new
school of theology; one of them has
been a missionary for years in China,
and another is young man going out
as missionary to Japan. Could we
analyze the motives of those on board,
no doubt great diversity would be
discovered. Some would be thinking
most of outward gain and others of
spiritual things. Some are good talk
ers and others good listeners; some are
joyous and others sad; one who is a
naval officer, is great bOaster and acts
as though he felt cloth makes the man.
Many do faithful service to Neptune.
AS the smooth seas come, then all are
at the tables doing justice to the differ
ent courses as they are brought on. 1t
is sad that any should lay principle
aside, being untrue to friends left be-
hind, and SHINING terribly in the sight
of God against one another. Such are
dissatisfied with themselves and the
very effort made to conceal, reveals
their condition of mind and heart. 1t
is startlingly strange that parents can
allow their daughters to go far from
home, being thrown into company that
is quite certain to allure into the ways
of death. Oh! that so many youths
bury their talents in passion and so at
length passing out of this world, leave
no good name behind them? How long
will it be before spirit shall control the
flesh and the great object of life shall
be to build up character and ennoble
/ the race?
Yokohama, Japan, Oct 20, 1887.
The Rev. Mr.. Gregg, of the Park